Helium: What light is shed here! To the friend who invited me to check out this new site, thank you. At first, however, I was reluctant: Several years ago, when the Internet was new, there were a few wholesome writing places online but soon some began playing contrary to their stated rules. I grew weary and quit playing around and settled down and over the past several years have written for several publications. In all, I supposed I've earned less than $1000, but my time was profitably spent.A careful check told me that indeed this was a new and different place and one where I could say what I thought needed to be said.

Do I expect to make money here? Absolutely not, but I will be happy to be proven wrong. You see I am 75 years old and, although I have published articles to my credit, have almost stopped writing for publication. Oh, I jot down thoughts and ideas for articles now and then but almost never do anything about them, busy as I am with other chores.

Yet, there are times when I feel I should 'send this out', put in my two-cents worth, contradict that, set them straight, or do whatever, and now that Helium allows me to sputter on about this or that, I am delighted. Who knows where or when, the answer someone needs can be found. And these day with such immediate and generous and yes, easy, means of writing, it would be selfish not to write.

But, in defense of those who write only for money, I would were I more talented, better equuipped academically -have no identifiable credentials and am too honest to lie about them - younger, in better health, and had editors impatiently waiting for my manuscripts. And here is another but, I will not with hold information that I consider to be important to someone somewhere, simply because I am not getting paid for my work. Nor will I waste my time watching television in the afternoons when I could be learning and interacting on Helium.

So, now that I have said that, it is important for those reading to understand I am not, even if I could, brown nosing the bosses. I mean every word of this. And for free, or for a future few cents, I am glad I have spoken. May we all be better human beings for this exciting new site.

PS: Now we fast-forward a year, give or take a few months, and now what are my opinions of Helium? It is a daily habit and I have been happily writing and earning money right along. It is steadily improving in its quality and its writers are a dedicated bunch. It is a place where I can learn daily and a place where I feel right at home. Long live Helium and its possibilities for writers. I say thank you to them for their perseverence.

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